It’s all Child’s Play Feature by Sue Gascoyne of Play-Z Ltd
November is a funny time of year, off ering neither the balminess of an Indian summer, nor the crisp cold days and ink black nights of deepest winter. Falling between holidays, back to school and Christmas it can feel a bit of an anti-climax. So how do you shift those winter blues and make the most of quality family time? Here’s a bucket list of things to try this November.
• Go for a walk in a wood, taking in the smells of fungi and feel of damp leaves underfoot. Notice the vibrant earthy colours and the sounds of the forest. Collect leaves, sticks or moss for making collages, mobiles, masks or fairy costumes.
• Create a den in or outdoors to star gaze on clear nights and read bedtime stories by torchlight.
• Make bread rolls together to enjoy with steaming homemade soup.
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Plan a themed meal complete with place mats, themed drinks and games.
Pick a diff erent family board game to play each week. There’s nothing I love more on a wintery Sunday evening than playing a game of Monopoly or Uno after a comforting roast dinner.
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Enjoying a delicious mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows may be as
simple as it gets, but in my family this is considered to be a real treat, especially when combined with watching a classic fi lm by a roaring fi re.
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Toasting marshmallows is the archetypal memory-making experience. If you’re worried about health and safety and feel your children are too young, you could always try arm length oven gloves and goggles like my children did!
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I’m a fi rm believer of visiting the beach off season. So wrap up for a trip to the seaside. With ears, necks, hands and feet toastily warm you are free to enjoy splashing in the sea or make welly prints on soft sand. Pick shells or stones to create words and pictures on the beach. If there’s a stinging wind, bury yourself in a sand hole to escape a rough sand blasting. If you’re feeling adventurous why not make sand angels with gloves and boots or try my husband’s favourite, building dams to momentarily exert your power over the sea!
All these low or no cost ideas are fun, fulfi lling and the stuff of children’s memories. The sorts of things they will fondly recall as adults and no doubt strive to recreate as part of their own family traditions. Make November the month to create your own playlist.
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